A Randomized Trial of MBSR Versus Aerobic Exercise for Social Anxiety Disorder
Hooria Jazaieri, Philippe R. Goldin, Kelly Werner, Michal Ziv, James J. Gross
Journal of Clinical Psychology July 1, 2012 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.21863 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 56 |
| Population | Adults with social anxiety disorder; comparison groups included 48 healthy adults and 29 untreated adults with generalized social anxiety disorder |
| Intervention | Aerobic exercise |
| Duration | Pre-intervention to post-intervention and 3-month follow-up |
| Measures | Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Perceived Stress Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Self-Compassion Scale, UCLA-8 Loneliness Scale |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | Both MBSR and aerobic exercise were associated with reductions in social anxiety and depression and increases in subjective well-being immediately post-intervention and at three months, and both intervention groups improved relative to an untreated social anxiety disorder group. The authors argue that nontraditional interventions such as MBSR and aerobic exercise merit further exploration as alternative or complementary treatments for social anxiety disorder. |
Abstract
Objective: Effective treatments for social anxiety disorder (SAD) exist, but additional treatment options are needed for nonresponders as well as those who are either unable or unwilling to engage in traditional treatments. Mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) is one nontraditional treatment that has demonstrated efficacy in treating other mood and anxiety disorders, and preliminary data suggest its efficacy in SAD as well.
Method: Fifty‐six adults (52% female; 41% Caucasian; age mean [M] ± standard deviation [SD]: 32.8 ± 8.4) with SAD were randomized to MBSR or an active comparison condition, aerobic exercise (AE). At baseline and post‐intervention, participants completed measures of clinical symptoms (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Inventory‐II, and Perceived Stress Scale) and subjective well‐being (Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Self‐Compassion Scale, and UCLA‐8 Loneliness Scale). At 3 months post‐intervention, a subset of these measures was readministered. For clinical significance analyses, 48 healthy adults (52.1% female; 56.3% Caucasian; age [M ± SD]: 33.9 ± 9.8) were recruited. MBSR and AE participants were also compared with a separate untreated group of 29 adults (44.8% female; 48.3% Caucasian; age [M ± SD]: 32.3 ± 9.4) with generalized SAD who completed assessments over a comparable time period with no intervening treatment.
Results: A 2 (Group) x 2 (Time) repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) on measures of clinical symptoms and well‐being were conducted to examine pre‐intervention to post‐intervention and pre‐intervention to 3‐month follow‐up. Both MBSR and AE were associated with reductions in social anxiety and depression and increases in subjective well‐being, both immediately post‐intervention and at 3 months post‐intervention. When participants in the randomized controlled trial were compared with the untreated SAD group, participants in both interventions exhibited improvements on measures of clinical symptoms and well‐being.
Conclusion: Nontraditional interventions such as MBSR and AE merit further exploration as alternative or complementary treatments for SAD. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Clin. Psychol. 68:715‐731, 2012
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 39
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- Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants' mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes Behaviour Research and Therapy May 10, 2017
- Physical Activity, Mindfulness Meditation, or Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Stress Reduction: A Randomized Controlled Trial Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback June 25, 2015
- Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- A randomized controlled pilot trial of classroom-based mindfulness meditation compared to an active control condition in sixth-grade children. Journal of school psychology June 1, 2014
and 34 more in the library
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